Notice to government on Siri sports complex upgradation

New Delhi, May 9 (IANS) The Supreme Court Friday issued notices to the Union government and the Commonwealth Games Committee on a petition opposing proposed construction to upgrade the Siri Fort Sports Complex here for the 2010 Commonwealth Games. A bench of Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan issued the notices on a lawsuit by residents around the Asiad Games village challenging the upgradation of the sports complex on grounds of paucity of space and felling of trees in the area.

The special bench, which also included Justice Arijit Pasayat and Justice S.H. Kapadia, had halted April 4 the construction of a parking lot at the Siri Fort Sports Complex, being built as part of upgradation of facilities in the city for the upcoming Commonwealth Games.

The bench had ordered suspension of construction of the parking lot following a plea by a morning walker in the area who opposed the felling of trees for the project.

The petitioners had moved the apex court objecting to the felling of trees and denigration of the forest near the Siri Fort Sports Complex, which is being further spruced up for the international sports event.

Counsel for the petitioners M.L. Lahoty contended that the government was destroying the greenery in the area in the name of Commonwealth Games. He sought a direction to the Delhi Development Authority for saving the trees in the area at any cost.

Lahoty contended that construction of additional sports complexes in the heart of the city would further denigrate the forest cover of the city.

Lahoty alleged that the forest cover of the city was being destroyed under the pretext of laying roads for VIP movement around the sports complex, unmindful of the fact that it would deprive the residents in adjoining areas of a place for their morning walks.

He told the court that DDA has allotted 14 acres of land for creating facilities for Commonwealth Games 2010 near the Siri Forest area and the Siri Fort Sports Complex.

Apart from this, DDA is encroaching upon the Sports Complex green belt and destroying it by felling hundreds of trees in the area to build a golf driving range, a children’s corner and a skating rink, the petition said.